Molded pulp pallet support



March 23, 1954 A, H RISCH MOLDED PULP PALLET SUPPORT Filed Dec. 14, 1950 Patented Mar. 23, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOLDED PULP PALLET SUPPORT Arthur H. Risch, Wauwatosa, Wis., assignor to Pulp Reproduction Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application December 14, 1950, Serial No. 200,709

6 Claims. 1 T The present invention relates generally to improvements in the art of producing molded pulp articles, and relates more particularly to improvement in the construction and use of molded pulppallet supports or spacers adapted to maintain loads in spaced relation to the floor or other supporting base.

A primary object of my invention is to provide an improved load supporting structure which may be readily produced by molding at extremely low cost and which is nevertheless exceedingly strong and durable in construction and light in weight.

It has heretofore been customary to use portable raised platforms, commonly known as pallet assemblages or skids, for supporting loads in storage and/or shipment to thereby permit ready access of the lifting forks of lift trucks under the load for transportation thereof. Some of the pallet assemblages in common use embody sup porting members formed of metal and others embody supports of wood; but since such pallets have proven quite unsatisfactory due to the initial and replacement cost as well as theundesirable weight thereof, considerablerecent development has been done in an effort to provide inexpensive and light weight structures of cardboard or other sheet materials reinforced in diverse ways. While some of these more recent load-supporting structures of sheet material have proven relatively satisfactory, particularly in view of the lightness thereof as compared to the metal and wood supports, considerable difficulty has nevertheless been encountered in attempting to strengthen such pallet supports sufficiently to carry the requisite heavy loads While maintaining the initial cost thereof sumciently low to permit the same to be discarded after use.

It is therefore a more specific object of this invention to provide an improved expendable pallet support which obviates all of the disadvantages or objections heretofore attendant such devices.

Another specific object of the invention is to provide an improved load supporting structure in which the supports or spacers may be rapidly produced in large quantities of inexpensive moldable and exceptionally light weight materials.

Another specific object of my invention is to provide an improved molded support for a load receiving pallet which possesses great strength and durability and is adapted to receive and maintain exceedingly heavy loads without danger of. collapse. 0 i l .Another specific object of my present invention is to provide an improved expendable molded Still another specific object of the present in vention is to provide an improved molded pulp pallet support which may be economically and rapidly produced with the aid of ordinary suction molding equipment and which may moveover be effectively nested for shipment and storage.

An additional specific object of the present invention is to provide an improved pallet support which comprises, a unitary hollow molded pulp body having inner and outer continuous walls interconnected by integral end walls.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description.

A clear conception of the several features con stituting the present improvements, and of the mode of constructing and of utilizing typical molded pulp pallet supports embodying the invention, may be had by referring to the drawing 1 accompanying and forming a part of this specification, wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the various section having been taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a part sectional side elevation of a somewhat modified pallet support embodying the invention, the section having been taken along the line 3-4 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a part sectional top view of the modifled pallet support, the section having been taken along the line l-t of Fig. 3; T

Fig. 5 is a similar part sectional side elevation of another modified pallet support embodying the invention, the section having been taken along the line 55 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 6 is a part sectional top view of the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 5, the section having been taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. '7 is a side view of a pallet assemblage embodying the improved supports and with a load resting on the platform, the lifting fork of a lift truck being shownin position below the plat-,

While the invention has been shown and described herein a being especially advantageously applicable to molded paper pulp pallet supports of particular cross-sections adapted for production with the aid of two-piece molds, for use with a flat load receiving platform, it is not desired or intended to unnecessarily restrict the scope or utility thereof by virtue of such limited embodiment; and it also contemplated that certain specific descriptive terms employed herein be given the broadest possible interpretation consistent with the disclosure.

The gist of my present invention is to provide a pallet support which comprises, in general, a unitary hollow molded pulp body having c'oncentric inner and outer continuous Walls interconnected by substantially flat integral end walls, the inner wall being tapered inwardly away from the outer wall and at least one of the walls be ing formed with reinforcement means extending longitudinally thereof and parallel to the central axis.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 wherein one embodiment of the invention is illustrated, the pallet support is shown as comprising a hollow pulp body if? of unitary molded construction having a continuous polygonal inner wall H and a similar continuous outer wall 52 spaced from and formed concentric with the inner wall, the Walls H, l2 being interconnected by integral end walls It ailording substantially fiat contacting or supporting surfaces at either end of the body. As shown in this embodiment, the polygonal inner and outer walls ll, i2 respectively are both of approximately square or rectangular cross'section with the inner Walli i being tapered inwardly toward the central axis and away from the outer wall it: at a medial portion I i thereof to thereby strengthen the wall I l and by reason 0.1 the polygonal shape of the walls ll, 12, the corners It, iii of the respective inner and outer walls form reinforcing ribs to strengthen the structure against collapse. However, if addi-- tional strength is desired, the outer Wall l2 may be formed with any desired number of additional peripheral reinforcing ribs or beams ll spaced from each other and extending parallel to the central axis. To permit molding of the body I!) by the vacuum method whereby all of the walls will be formed of substantially uniform thickness, suitable suction openings is may be provided in one of the end walls it without detracting from the strength of the structure; and these openings not only permit injection of pulp in the molding process also provide access to the interior of the body it! for impregnation thereof with resinous or other suitable materials which likewise enhance the strength of the unit.

With reference to the modification shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the improved device likewise comprises a hollow molded pulp body 29 of unitary construction having continuous polygonal concentricinner and outer walls 2!, 22, respectively,

interconnected by integral substantially flat end walls 23. As in the previous embodiment, the inner wall 21 is also tapered inwardly from the opposite ends thereof toward the medial portion 25 away from the outer Wall; and while the Walls 2 l, 22 of the modified structure are also polygonal,

they are shown herein as being six-sided instead of four, thereby resulting in a greater number of corners 25, 2t forming reinforcing ribs in the respective walls 2!, 22 extendin parallel to the central axis. additional reinforcing ribs may be provided as required or may be eliminated if unnecessary, and one of the substantially flat end walls 23 may be formed with th necessary suction openings 28.

With particular reference to Figs. 5 and 6, the further modified pallet support shown therein also consists of a unitary hollow molded pulp body 353 having continuous polygonal concentrio inner and outer walls 3i, 32, respectively, the ends of which are interconnected by substantially flat integral walls The inner Wall 3| of this modified structure is likewise tapered inwardlyfrom the opposite ends toward the medial portion 34 away from the outer Wall; and as in the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2, the outer Wall is formed with a peripheral series of spaced reinforcing ribs or beams 3? extending parallel to the central axis. In this embodiment also, it is preferable to form the suction or pulp injection openings 33 in one of the end walls 33 so as to avoid weakening of the structure.

Referring to Fig. 'l, the pallet supports of Figs.

5 and 6 are illustrated in actual use; but it will,

of course, be understood that the structures shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and in Figs 3 and 4 are utilized in an identical manner. In Fig. 7; the: supporting bodies as are shown positioned in spaced relationship with one of the end walls 33 resting on the floor 4t and the other end wall of each body supporting a platform M of wood or the like bearing a load $2 to be transported and/or stored, the platform or load supporting pallet ll being maintained in spaced relation to the floor it by the supports to so as to permit entry of the forwardly projecting horizontal fork or arms c3 of the usual lift truck, not shown. It is customary practice to adhesively secure the supporting bodies at the upper ends thereof to the lower face of the platform or pallet 4! so that the bodies as are carried with the pallet and the load to their destination, thereby also permitting withdrawal of the fork 43 in an obvious manner; but it is not essential to permanently secure the supports to the platform. Obviously, any desired number of pallet supports 30 may be utilized, depending on the load to be supported thereby; and after the pallet assemblage has served its intended purpose, it may be re-used if desired or it may be discarded with negligible loss due to the very minor replacement expense.

From the foregoing detailed description, it will be apparent that the present invention contemplates provision of an improved molded pulp pallet support which is extremel simple and inexpensive in construction well as exceedingly light in weight but which is nevertheless strong and durable and capable of supporting great loads in actual use. As indicated, the bodies 10, 2t, it may be rapidly produced in large quantities with the aid of ordinary suction molding equipment, the pulp stock being admitted by suction to the mold through the openings 18, '23, or 28 as the case may be, and the resultant device is of exceptionally strong unitary, construction despite the relatively fragile nature and lightness or the materials utilized. The durability and strength of the units is enhanced to a maximum by reason of the particular construction of the inner and outer walls, whereby the reinforcing ribs [6, 26 and/or ll, are provided and extend parallel to the central axis. The improved molded pulp supports may, of course, be coated or impregnated interiorly as well as exteriorly with any suitable strengthening, bonding, and/or waterproofing; material as by dipping, spraying, or the like; and

the final articles may also be conveniently stacked or nested for shipment.

It should be understood that it is not desired or intended to limit this invention to the exact details of construction or to the precise mode of use, herein shown and described, since various modifications within the scope of the appended claims may occur to persons skilled in the art to which this invention pertains.

I claim:

1. A pallet support comprising, a unitary molded pulp structure having inner and outer continuous side walls separated by an unobstructed confined space and interconnected at one end thereof by an integral substantially flat base and at the opposite end by an integral substantially flat load supporting upper wall to thereby provid a hollow supporting body.

2. A pallet support comprising, a unitary molded pulp structure having inner and outer continuous side walls separated by an unobstructed confined space and interconnected at one end thereof by an integral substantially fiat base and at the opposite end by an integral substantially flat load supporting upper wall to thereby provide a hollow supporting body, said inner wall being tapered inwardly toward the medial portion thereof away from said outer wall.

3. A pallet support comprising, a unitary molded pulp structure having inner and outer continuous side walls separated by an unobstructed confined space and interconnected at one end thereof by an integral substantially flat base and at the opposite end by an integral substantially fiat load supporting upper wall to thereby provide a hollow supporting body, said outer side wall having a peripheral series of spaced integral reinforcing ribs extending parallel to the central vertical body axis.

4. A pallet support comprising, a unitary molded pulp structure having concentric inner and outer continuous side walls of substantially uniform and like thickness separated by an unobstructed confined space and interconnected at one end thereof by an integral substantially flat base and at the opposite end by an integral substantially fiat load supporting upper wall to thereby provide a hollow supporting body.

5. A pallet support, comprising, a unitary molded pulp structure having polygonal. inner and outer continuous side walls of similar crosssection separated by an unobstructed confined space and interconnected at one end thereof by an integral substantially fiat polygonal base and at the opposite end by an integral substantially fiat load supporting upper polygonal wall to thereby provide a hollow supporting body.

6. A pallet support comprising, a unitary molded pulp structure having concentric annular inner and outer continuous side walls of substantially uniform and like thickness separated by an unobstructed confined space and interconnected at one end thereof by an integral substantially fiat annular base and at the opposite end by an integral substantially fiat load supporting upper annular wall to thereby provide a hollow supporting body.

ARTHUR H. RISCH.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,474,607 Rawley Nov. 20, 1923 2,170,040 Stuart Aug. 22, 1939 2,419,278 Motsenbocker Apr. 22, 1947 2,432,295 Donahue Dec. 9, 1947 2,444,184 Cahners June 29, 1948 2,493,562 Yarman Jan. 3, 1950 2,536,587 Whalley Jan. 2, 1951 

